Femke den Haas: Rescuing endangered animals in Indonesia

Ani Suswantoro, Jakarta Post 27 Apr 08;

How many Jakartans have seen the Braminy Kite (Haliastur Indus) or know that this endangered bird has been a symbol of the captial since 1995?

The falling number of kites can be traced back to the early 20th Century, when Pulau Elang (Raptor Island) was renamed Pulau Pramuka (Scout Island)because few raptors could be found on the island.

How many know that the White-Bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) is a protected species?

Despite their status as protected species as stated by Regulation No. 5/1990 on Conservation on Natural Resources and Ecosystems and Regulation No. 7/1999 on Flora and Fauna Preservation, they are still threatened by illegal poaching and trade, habitat destruction, public ignorance and the lack of attention from authorities.

But there is still hope through the organizations that are working to protect these birds. One of them is the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), established in early 2008 by Femke den Haas and several other conservationists.

Den Haas, a Dutch national born in 1977 in Yaoende, Cameroon, has been working to improve the welfare of animals in Indonesia through the JAAN.

Her encounter with Indonesian wildlife began at the age of 17, when she volunteered to monitor the release of 70 orangutans in East Kalimantan. The province's rich flora and fauna fascinated her, and she even took 6 months' leave of her senior high school studies in the Netherlands to join the project.

Back in Holland, she became involved in several animal conservation and rescue projects in Europe and Africa.

"I learned that the illegal primate trade in Holland mainly came from Indonesia, so I decided to come back, where I could work right at the source," said den Haas.

She returned to Indonesia, and from 2002-2006, worked at the Gibbon Foundation, an international non-profit organization that works to stop wildlife trafficking and trade. The foundation set up several Pusat Penyelamatan Satwa (PPS)or Animal Rescue Centers - in Jakarta, Sukabumi, Yogyakarta, Denpasar and Manado, as well as other cities.

During her tenure as manager at PPS Tegal Alur, West Jakarta, den Haas began to realize the intricate chain of illegal animal trade and the difficulties to eradicate it, but she and her team persevered. It was during her work there that she met and married her Indonesian husband, Sudarno.

"Unfortunately, in 2006 the foundation stopped its cooperation, considering that Indonesia was not serious enough to protect its natural richness. I then resigned and joined International Animal Rescue (IAR) in 2007," said den Haas.

"In 2008, together with some dedicated individuals, Rio Cornel, Ardiansyah, Natalie Stewart and Karin Franken, we established the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), to be more able to cater local needs. Sponsorship and support come from individuals and organisations alike," she said.

JAAN provides help to all kinds of animals, including caring for and finding homes for stray dogs and cats. It also rehabilitates and releases sea turtles, monkeys and other endangered species.

At present, JAAN is focusing on the rehabilitation and release of the Brahminy Kite and the White-Bellied Sea Eagle with the support of the Taman Nasional Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands National Park), Coconut Island Resort, IAR and local residents.

The project, based on Kotok and Penjaliran Barat islands, was initiated in 2004 when PPS Tegal Alur received many of those birds. *

The local economy, sea and coastal conditions, and even the bad habits of some Jakarta citizens affect the birds' well-being. For example, the currents carry garbage thrown into the city's rivers to Kepulauan Seribu regency, contaminating the habitat.

JAAN's program is multifaceted to address these conditions and to protect the birds, including through public education, waste management and recycling, fertilizing and composting, ecotourism, and the protection and monitoring of coral reefs, fish and sea turtles.

The birds at the rescue center on Kotok and Penjaliran Barat islands have been confiscated or handed over voluntarily by their owners, and come from Jakarta, Sukabumi and Yogyakarta. So far, JAAN has released 40 birds into the wild and is rehabilitating 27 birds. Those birds that cannot be released will spend their entire lives at the center.

"Femke's care for animals does not end in ideas only, but is manifested into concrete actions. Upon observing the suffering of animals, she will do anything to help them," said Sumarto, former head of the Thousand Islands National Park.

"Her dedication is beyond question, as reflected in her willingness to stay on the island to tend to the animals on New Year's Eve, when all staff are on leave. She is an extraordinary woman," he said.

JAAN welcomes assistance from volunteers in their rehabilitation and release program, and their tasks include monitoring and observing the birds after release, cleaning and maintaining cages and the beach, as well as participation in brainstorming ideas for a conservation campaign.

External funding is also highly appreciated for the continuation of JAAN's missionimprove the welfare of Indonesian animals and to stop illegal wildlife trade", according to den Haas.

When wildlife thrives, so does human life. Hopefully an increased understanding of this relationship among Jakarta's citizens and an improvement in the welfare and economy of local residents will help den Haas and her team's dream come true.